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Casting announced for Jane Eyre

Casting for Sally Cookson’s energetic
and imaginative new adaptation of Charlotte Brontë’s masterpiece, Jane
Eyre has been confirmed withNadia Clifford taking
the title role of Jane Eyre and Tim Delap as Rochester.

Manchester born and bred Nadia Clifford’s
previously appeared at the National Theatre in Alistair McDowell’s sell out
production of Pomona and Tim Delap will make
his NT debut as Rochester.

2017 marks the 170th anniversary of
the first publication of Jane Eyre – a significant time to be touring Charlotte
Brontë’s classic and much loved story. The highly acclaimed co-production
between the National Theatre and Bristol Old Vic opens at The Lowry in Salford on
8 April and will continue its journey around the country to Sheffield, Aylesbury,
Plymouth, Southampton, Edinburgh, York, Woking, Glasgow, Richmond, Canterbury,
Cardiff, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Milton Keynes, Norwich, Brighton, Leeds, Belfast,
Aberdeen and Birmingham.

This exciting new stage version of Jane
Eyre was originally presented in two parts at Bristol Old Vic, and
then transferred to the National Theatre, re-imagined as a single performance,
playing to sold out houses at the NT’s Lyttelton Theatre. The production was
devised by the original company, with set designs by Michael Vale,
costumes by Katie Sykes, lighting by Aideen Malone,
music by Benji Bower, sound by Dominic Bilkey,movement
by Dan Canham and dramaturgy by Mike Akers.

Director Sally Cookson, said: “Adapting a novel for
the stage is a challenging prospect – especially when that novel is cited as
many people’s favourite of all time. It is always daunting when you’re working
on a story which everyone knows so well, because you want to surprise and maybe
challenge people’s expectations, without losing any of the things which make
them like the story in the first place.

“I chose this particular title because it’s a story that I love and have
enjoyed a close relationship with ever since I was intrigued, as a child, by
Orson Welles’ black and white melodrama with fabulous music by Bernard
Herrmann.

“I didn’t actually read the novel until I was in my early twenties and I
remember thinking while I read it: ‘This is a clarion cry for equal
opportunities for women, not a story about a passive female who will do
anything for her hunky boss’. I was struck by how modern Jane seemed – her
spirit and strong will, her peculiar and brilliant mind striving for personal
freedom to be who she is, lashing out against any constraint that prevents her
from being herself. She was exactly the sort of person I wanted to be.”

Charlotte Brontë’s story of the trailblazing Jane is as inspiring as
ever. This bold and dynamic production tells the story of one woman’s fight for
freedom and fulfilment.

From her beginnings as a destitute orphan, Jane Eyre’s spirited
heroine faces life’s obstacles head-on, surviving poverty, injustice and the
discovery of bitter betrayal before taking the ultimate decision to follow her
heart.